Label applying apparatus



March 24, 1959 N. w. MITCHELL LABEL APPLYING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Jan. 4, 1957 INVENTOR. NoszvAL Wam/m MWCHELL Bmm N. W. MITCHELLLABEL APPLYING APPARATUS Y March 24, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4,1957 INVFNWR. NORM WILUAM MUCHELL ATTORNEY March 24, 1959 N. w. MITCHELLLABEL APPLYING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 4, 1957 INVENTOR.NoIzvM. WILLIAM MITCHELL A TTORNEY United States Patent O LABEL APPLYINGAPPARATUS Norval William Mitchell, Sterling, lll., assignor to TheBorden Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationJanuary 4, 1957, Serial No. 632,450

1 Claim. (Cl. 21655) This linvention relates to improvements inapparatus for applying labels or the like to containers.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus -that is fullyautomatic in its operation, once it has been started to operate.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ap'- paratus that willapply a label to the 'top or' bottom of a container.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus whichiscapable of applying labels having an adhesive thereon "that itrendered tacky by the application of heat from the apparatus just priorto the application of the label to the container. l

With the above and other objects and advantages in View, the inventionconsists of the novel details of construction, arrangement andcombination of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of an apparatus embodying theinvention; Y

Fig. 2 is front view of a label applicator;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the applicator of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is top plan view, partly broken away of the apparatus;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detailedsectional view of a timing device forthe apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a detailed fragmentary view of the air control mechanism forthe apparatus;

Fig. 7 is a detailed fragmentary view of the timing mechanism operatedby the containers;

Fig. 8 is an enlargedA detailed fragmentary view of the rotating headfor holding the label applicator; and

Fig. 9 is a detailed perspective View of a micros'witch lever of theapparatus.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, wherein like parts aredesignated by like reference numerals, the reference numeral 10 is usedto generally designate a label applying apparatus embodying theinvention.

The label applying apparatus 10 comprises an endless rotating table orHight chain 411 which is actuated by sprocket wheels 12 and 13,respectivelyl Thesprocket wheel 13 being rotated by means of `a chaindrive 114 that is connected to an electric motor, not shown.

A frame 15 for the apparatus 10 is ypositioned along one longitudinaledge of the flight chain 11 and a main shaft 16 is journalled in bearingblocks 17 and 18 that are secured to the frame 15 in Xed relationthereto. A disc or rotating head 19 is mounted on the shaft 16 and aplurality of L-shaped brackets 20 are mounted on the rotating head 19 inequally spaced relation to each other. The peripheral edge of therotating'head 19 is provided with a plurality of notches 21 and a notchis in aline ment with each of the brackets 20.

A cam wheel 22 is mounted on the shaft 16 in contact with the rear ofthe head 19 and bolts 23 passing through the wheel 22 and head 19 securea circular member 24 to the head 19. A spline 25 retains the wheel 22,head 19 and member 24 in rigid relation to the shaft 16. The shaft 16extends through the member 24 and a second circular member 25a ismounted on the' shaft 16 in stationary relation thereto. A spring '2 6mounted on the shaft 16 engages a collar 27 at one end thereof and theopposite end ofthe spring engages the member 25a. The collar 27 is fixedon the shaft 16 so that -the spring 26 urges the member 25a intoengagement with the member 24. The members 24 and 25u constitute atiming device as will be later described. member 24 has a plurality of'sockets 28 therein and.- each socket communicates with an outlet 29positionedla in the face of the member `24. A ,tubular arm 30 isthreadedly connected to'each of the Sockets 28 vin communicationtherewith. The ar'ms 3Q extend through 'the brackets 20 so that the arms'are retained in rigid relation to the head 19.

A circular label applicator 31 is mounted on the outer end of each ofthe arms 30, and passages 32 in each applicator extend through the facethereof and communicate with the arm 30 -connected thereto. Theapplicators 31 are positioned on the head 19 in alinement with thenotches 21 in the peripheral edge of the head 19. A heater 33 isconnected to the rear surface of each appli-y cator 31 and posts 34 and35 are provided for each heater whereby each heater is connected to asource of electrical current by wires 36 andv37, respectively.

The member 25a is provided with a pair of sockets 38. and 39,respectively, which will selectively communicate with the outlet 29 inthe member 24 as it rotates.

Air and suction pipes 40 and 41, respectively, are connected to thesockets 38 and 39, respectively, in the mem? ber 25a.

The cam wheel 22 is engaged by a roller 40a which is rotatably mountedon a control arm 41a that is pivotally mounted at 42 to a slide 43. Theslide 43 being positioned in a trackway 44 that is mounted on aninclined portion 45 of a vertical standard 46 of the apparatus 10. Apair of circular clamps 47 and 48, respectively, mount a label holder 49on the slide 43 and a spring 50, connected to the outer end of the slide43 and to the por, tion 45 of the standard 46, urges the slide 43 towardthe head 19. A roller 51 is mounted on the slide 43 at thel inner endthereof and the roller 51 is adapted to engage the peripheral edge ofthe head 19 by reason of the ac-` tion of the spring 50. An adjustingscrew 52 mounted on the slide 43 engages the clamp 47 on the holder 49.to altervthe inclination of the holder 49 in relation to the slide 43.

A holding bracket 53 is provided with a pair of arcuate slots 54 toreceive bolts 55 whereby the member 25a is fixed thereto and the bracket53 is connected to the frame 15 of the apparatus. A clutch control 56 isalso mounted on the bracket 53.

The clutch control 56 is connected to a switch control 57 that ismounted on the frame 15. A bell crank arm 58 is connected at 59 to thecontrol 57 and at 60 to a projection 61 on an arm 62 that is pivoted at63V to the frame 15. The 'arm 62.has a projection 64 on the free endthereof that overlies the Hight chain 1,1. An adjustment screw 65 `ismounted in an L-shaped bracke'tl 66 secured to the frame 15' and thescrew 65 engages the" projection 61 on the arm 62 for the adjustmentthereof. The control 57 is connected by a lead 67 to a microswitch 68that is adapted to be engaged by a plurality of adjustable operatingscrews 69 that are mounted on the head 19 intermediate of the notches21.

The clutch control 56 operates an electric clutch 70 that is mounted onthe shaft 16 and an electric brake 71 that is also mounted on the Shaft16.

A three bladed wheel 72 is mounted on a vertical shaft 73 that extendsoutwardly of a gear box 74. A second shaft 75 extends outwardly of thegear box 74 and has a sprocket 750 on the outer end thereof. Thesprocket 750 has a chain drive connection 76 with a sprocket 77 on anauxiliary shaft 78 that is journalled in bearing blocks 79 and 80 thatare connected to the frame 15 of the apparatus 10.

` A'second sprocket 81 on the shaft 78 has a chain drive connection 82with a sprocket 83 on the shaft 16.

An air operated cylinder 84 is positioned below the ight chain 11v and apiston stem 85 extending upwardly from the cylinder 84 has a pressurelever 86 pivoted thereto at 88. The lever 86 is pivoted at 88 to asupport 89-for the flight chain 11. Spaced from the first support 89 isa second support 90 and the two supports are spaced so that the lever 86may raise the ight chain 11 when air is fed to the cylinder 84 throughthe air hose 91.

Mounted on the shaft 78 is a pair of spaced cam wheels 92 and 93,respectively.` Each of the cam wheels engage a roller 94 that isrotatably mounted on a valve actuating lever 95 that is pivoted at 96 onthe bottom of a valve housing 97. The lever 95 engages the button 98 toactuate an air valve in the housing 97. An air hose 99 connects thevalve housing 97 to an air compressor, not shown, and the air hose 41 isalso connected to the valve housing 97. There are two valve housings 97and each is connected to the frame.15 by a hanger 100, Fig. 6.

The apparatus is designed especially for full automatic operation forlabeling plastic containers.

The containers c travel on the ight chain 11 until they engage the arm62 which operates the switch 68 whichin turn energizes the control S7.The control 57 actuates the,l control 56 which operates the clutch 70 torotate the shaft 16 and head 19. The head 19 rotates until one of thelabel applicators 31 receives a label from the holder 49 by suction. Amicro switch 101 mounted on the frame engages the contact drum 102 onthe shaft 16 and the switch 101 stops the head 19 by means of the brake'71 after a label has been applied to a container and retains the head 19stationary until the next container c engages the arm 62 to start theapplication of another label.

If there is a constant run of containers, the apparatus will continue tooperate as each container engages the arm 62. Asthe head rotates theroller 51 will engage a notch 21 and the roller 40a will engage a cam onthe cam wheel 22. This will cause the label holder 49 to move toward theapplicator 31 so that a label will become attached to the applicator 31,as the roller 40a becomes disengaged from the cam on the cam Wheel 22,the label holder 49 will return to its normal position. As theapplicator 31 comes in contact with the label the cam wheels 92 and 93are actuated to move the lever 9S to actuate the valve so that suctionis created in the applicator 31. When the applicator 31 comes in contactwith a container c the cam wheels 92 and 93 are actuated to blow thelabel onto the container.

At this time the lever 86 is raised so that the flight chain 11 israised to push the container up against the applicator 31. The head 19makes 1,6 of a revolution every time a container engages the arm 62, thesequence of operation previously described occurs. The brake 71,however, will stop the head 19 from rotating when the last container hasreceived a label. However, when more containers are fed to theapparatus, the brake 71 will release and the apparatus will operate.

The arm 62 is adjustable for different size containers. The adjustingscrews 69, that engage the switch 68, are adjustable in agreement withthe adjustment of the arm 62.

The containers engage the wheel 72 so that the cam wheel 22 issynchronized with the application of a label to a container. A secondcontact drum 103 is energized by a micro switch 104 that controls theenergizing of the heaters 33 on the applicator 31 so that the adhesiveon the labels is heated before it is applied to the container. Athermostat may be mounted on the front of the head 19 across the wires36 and 37 to control the heaters 33 and the thermostat operates a relaythat is also mounted on the front of the head 19.

It will be seen from the description of the invention that an automaticefficient apparatus for applying labels to containers has been provided.The speed of the apparatus may be controlled so that the rate ofapplication of the labels may be slow or rapid and the apparatus willcontinue to operate as long as the containers are fed thereto.

It is also to be understood that changes in the minor details ofconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts may be resorted toprovide they fall4 within the` spirit of the invention and the scope ofthe appended claim.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

Ahlabel applying apparatus for containers comprisingv in combination aflight chain, a frame mounted adjacent said chain, means for moving saidflight chain with the containers thereon, a shaft mounted in said frame,a rotatable disc mounted on said shaft in a vertical plane above saidflightchain, driving means for said disc, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced radially extending applicators carried by saiddisc, an electric heater mounted in each applicator, said driving meansfor said disc including a clutch, a brake mounted on said shaft, aprojection carried by said frame in the path of travel of saidrcontainerson said chain, switch means operable by said projection toprovide timed control of said brake and clutch whereby to rotate one ofsaid applicators to a position above a container, a label holder mountedadjacent theperiphery of said disc, timed means for moving said holdertoward and away from said applicator, timed valve means forsimultaneously applying suction to said applicator whereby to receiveand hold a label thereon when said container is adjacent thereto, timedvalve means for applying pressure to said applicator whereby to forcesaid label into contact with a container, and electrical switch meansassociated with said shaft for timed operation of said heaters.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,214,096 Weiss Sept. l0, 1940 2,296,201 Carter Sept. l5, 1942 2,391,694Everett Dec. 25, 1945 2,525,741 Von Hofe et al Oct. l0, 1950 2,543,220Ardell Feb. 27, 1951 2,565,975 Lissimore Aug. 28, 1951 2,688,632 ZimpelFeb, 9, 1954

